


What's to come...

by ItsSuchAShameForUsToPart



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-19
Updated: 2015-12-02
Packaged: 2018-04-27 04:12:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5033260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsSuchAShameForUsToPart/pseuds/ItsSuchAShameForUsToPart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after the events of Agent Carter Season One. I wrote this sometime before the announcement that season two would take place in L.A. so it is out of date in that respect. I just haven't posted it until now. I didn't have the courage.<br/>Life marches on at the S.S.R, Peggy and Daniel both act on their feelings and everyone has a drink. Meanwhile Steve has a lot of thinking to do...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. "The man did not want to impose himself..."

**Author's Note:**

> \- Peggy notices Daniel has only been courteous, friendly and polite since he asked her out for a drink and she declined. It has been three months, and their working relationship is healthy and functional, much like it was before the events of Leviathan. They work well together and Daniel has seemed fine towards Peggy since then. But Peggy has been hoping Daniel will ask again.  
> \- Jack is currently the Chief in command of the S.S.R, but the whole situation at the office is still temporary, while the government decide on a new approach to their defence strategies.  
> \- The team believe they have closed in on Dottie, and build a plan to arrest her. Peggy, Jack, and eight other agents are involved. Daniel will play lookout.  
> \- During the arrest, Dottie overpowers six agents and kills two. She drops Jack out of a window, a fall he survives. She believes only Peggy is left and gives chase...

Peggy, aware of Daniel's presence in the alley, lures her there to make a stand. Dottie follows, but remembers their previous encounter and opts to pull a gun on Peggy when they stop. As she does this and Peggy stands with her defences down, Daniel takes aim and shoots. He is in a car, sitting behind the wheel. In order to take the shot he has to lean across the passenger's side, out of the window and aim past Peggy. Dottie goes down fast, falling backwards onto her left side as the bullet thumps into her left shoulder. The assassin cries out as she falls, dropping her own gun yards away. Peggy turns to see Daniel leaning out of the car, looking quite uncomfortable. The look in her face could best be described as one of shock, and complete relief.  
"Bloody good shot," she states, a bit breathless, before running to Dottie to ensure she is handcuffed, the gun confiscated and the wound dressed. Daniel pushes himself back to his side of the car, before getting out to help. He can't stop himself smiling however, as he thinks of the compliment.

They had not talked together much since he had asked her out that time, only the usual work-conversation and friendly connections. Daniel had decided not to ask again, at least not in a hurry. The man did not want to impose himself on Peggy, and the crushing embarrassment he had felt at the moment she had turned him down was enough to neuter any mad confidence he might have had before. No, Daniel was settled on the thought of maintaining a respectful distance from this beautiful woman, who likely had enough suitors chasing her and did not need The Crutch at work stalking her as well. If they could be friends, that would be enough for Daniel, at least for now. If it became a problem, if Daniel became a problem, he would leave the S.S.R. He had already considered all this, the very evening after he had asked her out for a drink. If his attraction to Peggy ever became a problem, Daniel Sousa would not want to jeopardise their careers, least of all hers, which was so important to her and which she had worked so hard for. He couldn’t bear the thought of the guys at work making it any more difficult for her. He would apply to the F.B.I, or even just the police. Yeah, they would be happy to accept an S.S.R agent, no matter how many crutches he used. Thompson would write him a decent recommendation, he could count on that.  
But at the moment, and for the last few months since his failed invitation, Daniel had been able to keep his feelings under control. And yet, whenever she paid him a compliment, praised his work, or even when she was standing up to the other guys like Thompson, Sousa couldn't help himself. His feelings would soar again, like they did when she had told him no one else's opinion should matter; or the times he made her laugh; or that time in the locker room. Daniel would usually shake his head at those thoughts, as if trying to push them out.

Back at the office Dottie is waiting in an interrogation room, her typically serene expression made all the more intimidating by the straight-jacket the agents have put her in. Handcuffs didn't feel like enough.

"For once, I don't want to go in there," Jack states.  
He has some fresh medical tape along a red gash on his temple, and his right arm is in a sling. He wears his suit jacket over his shoulders and stands in the observation room with his best agent.

"You won't have to," Peggy quips back, sounding annoyed.

Jack glances at her. He had been lucky today, and at first glance his fall had seemed far more serious than it had turned out. Peggy had been the one to check his pulse and take a tally of his injuries, and she had held his head as they lifted him onto a stretcher. He was touched by her help and decided she was being stiff with him now as punishment. He must have really scared her earlier. Typical Englishness, he thought. Typical women.

"Why not? You doing it?" he asked.

"No," she takes a deep breath, "Daniel already volunteered."

Jack turns to the one sided mirror in surprise as Daniel walks into the room where Dottie sits.

"So, Miss Underwood let's start with names," he says.

He sits down opposite her, resting his crutch against the mirror before he does so.  
"My name is Agent Daniel Sousa. This," – he lays a picture of her ally on the table – "is Dr. Fenhoff, currently serving out that life sentence of his... What's your name?"  
*************

Daniel's initial interrogation of Dottie is inspired. He uses gentle prompts, remains seated the whole time, and does not once raise his voice. After three and a half hours Dottie has confirmed her origins, denied some things (and by doing so revealed others), and even spoken in Russian – although only to insult Daniel. As he gets up for a break, taking his crutch, Jack re-enters the observation room with coffees.

"How's it going now?"

Peggy is sitting on a table, her legs slightly swinging.

"Well," she says "she's revealed far more than she knows, so I'd say swimmingly."

Daniel walks into their room.

"I hear a hearty handshake is in order Sousa," smiles Jack. Daniel gives a small smile and shakes his head.

"No, it's not there yet."

Peggy gets down from the table.

"Nonsense Daniel, it's working." She walks towards him with a coffee and hands it to him.

"You're breaking her," and she gives him a warm smile, one which he finds himself returning. Her smile has always been infectious. It spreads across her whole face, and made Daniel think of the sun coming up.

"Thanks Peggy, but I think this one will only go so far. She must know most of the rules of any interrogation, back to front. This has gotta be a walk in the park for her." Daniel says these words whilst looking at his coffee mostly. He is aware Peggy has stayed standing directly in front of him, he can feel his ears burning.

"No," says Peggy simply, "Jack's interrogation style is what she was expecting, anticipating. But instead she's got you."

At this point Peggy turns to the mirror to examine Dottie.  
"She has underestimated you. She will underestimate us all I hope."

Daniel drinks some coffee and leans against the table, tired. Jack sniffs.  
"This is probably true Carter," he says in jest, "but if push comes to shove, and Daniel reaches a wall, then I will have to consider the use of force against this woman."

Silence. Daniel looks from Peggy to Jack and back again. Jack stares at Peggy's back, waiting for her to turn around.  
"She killed a lot of people. I don’t want her feeling our pity, or God forbid our sympathy," he finishes with a dismissive wave aimed at Dottie, before leaving to work at his desk.

"Do what you can tonight, then get some rest. You're making me feel tired Sousa."

Jack pats him on the shoulder and opens the door. Daniel raises an eyebrow.  
"Jack, please. I might cry."

"Yeah, yeah," Jack manages.


	2. Another invitation.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following immediately on from Chapter One...

Daniel finishes his coffee and glances towards Peggy again. A few minutes have passed and she is still standing at the mirror, looking in on Dottie. She stands with her legs crossed, and her arms folded and Daniel does what he has been doing for the past nine months. He looks at her. He admires her proud posture and figure… her hair. It always came back to the hair. Daniel enjoyed watching it move across her shoulders. The way it would catch the light, and the way it smelled. Daniel liked the way Peggy had her hair, but he also liked to notice the way it got straighter as the day went by. As the bounce from her curlers slowly left it, Daniel felt alone when he noticed that. Tonight it had lost some of its bounce again. It had been a long day so no one would be surprised.

"Maybe we should call it a night," Peggy suddenly said, breaking Daniel's meditation.

"Err, do you think it'll help? I mean, do you think it'll make her sweat?" he asked, moving over to the mirror to stand next to Peggy.

"It might," she says helplessly. They stand together for a moment watching Dottie, who has her eyes closed. "Two agents at a time in here, four hour shifts, just watching her. Then we come in again at 8am. What do you think?" Peggy looks at Daniel in earnest.

"Ok," he says, "but you have to promise me you're not going to do those shifts. Go home and rest Carter." Daniel says this and smiles briefly at Peggy, who looks down at his feet and smiles too.

"Yes you have a point," she concedes. "Agent Sousa – " Peggy raises her head to look him square in the eye, "why did you never raise the invitation again? To go for that drink?"

She says this so suddenly, raising her eyes to meet his as she does so, that Daniel is stunned. He remains completely still for a moment, and they stare at each other. Then he breaks away from her stare with a nervous laugh. He shrugs his shoulders.

"I didn't want to burden you with another invitation," he says.  
As soon as he utters these words, he realises how self-absorbed they sound. Peggy takes in a sharp breath of protest and pulls herself up to her full height.

"Agent Sousa, you again underestimate what I am capable of handling. Whether it be the barbed comments of those gorillas," she waves a hand towards the door, "or the frankly welcome hand of friendship."

As she speaks, Peggy's voice rises, until she finishes her statement a little louder than she had planned, leaving a ringing silence in its wake. They stand opposite each other, uncomfortable, Daniel tapping his hand against his crutch.

"I'm sorry - Peggy," Daniel says finally, tripping over her name. "I just didn't want to cross any…" he searches for the word, "lines... I don’t know."

He shrugs and laughs nervously. He wants to be honest with her. He thinks he might be trying. They look at each other, smiling apologetically. Suddenly Dottie sneezes and they both turn for a moment to watch her blinking and sniffing.

"Daniel, would you care to join me for a drink? Right now?" Peggy looks at him, that defiant look on her face. "We lost two good agents tonight. I have spent far too long in the company of murderers, and would like to spend some… somewhere else."

Daniel tears his eyes away from Dottie, to face Agent Peggy Carter, whose words leave him beaming.

"I'd love to, thanks."  
They stand there, waiting for someone to make the move to the door.

***************

Daniel makes Peggy Carter laugh, and it is the best thing he has ever done.  
She laughs at his stories from his regiment, at his stories about his old dog, and the ones about his grandfather. They are on their third round of drinks, and the conversation was flowing.

"That's when he came back inside and conceded defeat," Daniel says, chuckling at Peggy who is laughing so hard there are tears in her eyes and her cheeks are flushed. Daniel admires how beautiful she looks when she is this happy.

They had been talking for two and a half hours, and the time had soared by. They had discussed their home lives, their families, their history. Peggy had talked about England and Cambridgeshire; her brother and her parents; her time with the Howling Commandos. Daniel had talked about Chicago; his parents; college and the war. He'd even talked openly to her about his injury. He wasn't afraid to discuss it, and Peggy admired this. He had clearly accepted it as a part of himself, and not something to be ashamed of. Peggy could associate greatly with this. In exchange, she spoke freely about Steve. They had both learned a lot tonight, not least of all how alone they both were, devoted to their jobs.   
But the ridiculous anecdotes had taken over in the last half hour.

"Daniel, please. Please stop, it is too much," she says, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Ok," he grins, "you're probably right, it is getting very late after all."  
After a quick glance at the clock on the wall behind the bar, Peggy looks round at Daniel, disappointed.

"Yes, we should get some rest before tomorrow." She gives him a quick smile and they both make to leave, coats and hats are applied.

As they go, Daniel asks Peggy how far she has to travel. He can't believe how good this evening has been and he doesn't want it to finish. Also, being Daniel Sousa, he wants to do the gentlemanly thing and ensure her safety. He wasn't his mother's son if he didn't do that.

"Oh I can walk down here to the subway, and there should be one every fifteen minutes or so, and then it's only five stops." Daniel nods as she speaks.

"Well I'm only six blocks from that subway so I'll walk with you."

He realises as he looks at her that this chivalry stuff might be somewhat reduced in Peggy Carter's presence. She is after all the toughest and boldest woman New York had ever seen, and that's saying something in this State. But she seemed to see the gesture's value, as her smile would suggest. They make their way down the cool, lit street and slip easily back into conversation. The pair walks slowly and carefully, partly because of the heavy traffic, partly because of Daniel's crutch. Partly because they don't want to stop talking.

"Thank you Daniel, for a good end to the day," Peggy smiles as they reach the subway entrance. 

Daniel smiles back, one of his self-deprecating smiles, and shakes his head. They stand still for a brief moment, and then Peggy moves towards him and plants a gently confident kiss on his left cheek.

"Goodbye Daniel," she says, and grins as she turns to walk down the subway steps.

Daniel stays as he is out of shock, his crutch at an awkward stance. As she turns to go though he gathers his thoughts and assembles his best, cool voice.

"See you tomorrow Carter."

Daniel watches her make her way down all the steps before she disappears from view.

**********************


	3. Hat in the Ring.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two perspectives on events, the morning after Chapter Two...

Daniel reaches the agency the following day with his stomach in knots.  
*Please. Please don’t show regret. Please give me a sign, any sign of what you want.*  
He thinks these things in the direction of Peggy's desk, trying to subconsciously persuade her to make the next move. Next move? What was wrong with him? He was getting carried away. He was getting too excited. I mean sure, it had been a swell evening, and she had kissed him goodbye, (a sensation he could still resurrect on his cheek this morning), but she was Peggy Carter. A beautiful, terrifying sensation of a woman – and the best agent in the S.S.R. Better than the rest of them rolled into one. She was the dictionary definition of independence and professionalism, he couldn't expect her to want to waste any more time going on 'dates' (or whatever that had been), especially with a colleague.

He walks into the main office, acutely aware of how loud his crutch must sound against the parquet. He curses his injury for the millionth time.  
He spots her immediately, her back is turned and she is brewing coffee – probably Thompson's orders. His instant decision is to sit down at his desk and keep his distance. But he pauses to watch her, and before he can stop himself he is walking over. She looks up as he approaches and he smiles at her. He can't help it.  
But Peggy smiles back.

"Daniel," she says warmly. "I trust you are well rested, ready for round two with our resident Russian killer."  
She says all this while handing him a hot cup of fresh filter coffee.

"Just milk, yes?"

He breathes out in secret relief.

"Err, yes. Thanks!" He tries to give her his best smile while taking the cup.

But this being the fierce Peggy Carter, he can't tell if it's having an effect. At college he knew the smile had worked. He knew. But here, he might as well be strumming a lute and getting the same reaction. She simply smiles at him, before moving on to Thompson's office.  
After finishing his coffee Daniel decided to do what he was best at, and throw himself back into his work for today. He had spent enough time already dwelling on Peggy, he could not let it affect his interrogation. He closely studied all intelligence the agents had collected on the Black Widow programme, readying himself for round two, as she had put it.

**********************

Peggy Carter was a defiant woman. She could not help it, it was a defence strategy developed over years of fighting against ignorant male attitudes, the dominant standpoint of "that'll do sweetheart."  
Swimming against this norm was what inspired her to ask Daniel out for a drink last night.

She had had enough of waiting for him, and knew from the last ten months or so that he was worth swimming for. As she had said goodbye to Steve on the bridge three months earlier, she had felt a weight lift from her chest and when she had returned to work shortly afterwards she was more prepared for that invitation to come again.  
But it had not come and Peggy had then realised, much to her consternation, that this was because Daniel was not only a good, kind man who respected her space, but because he was intimidated by her. She needed to act, on both their behalves.  
She knew they would get along perfectly, she had already worked that out from their time together at work. But the fact he had turned out to be funny, charming and engaging in the utmost comforted her nonetheless.

She had not wanted their evening together to end, this was true. But as they had reached the subway last night, Peggy had felt a sadness that surprised her. She had had to remedy this feeling, and the only way she had known how was to do something bold, something big – end it on a high! – she had thought wildly to herself. She made the split-second decision to kiss Daniel's smooth cheek, and felt a triumph as she did so. She had laid claim to him, she had thrown her hat in the ring and it felt as liberating and defiant as any of her previous victories against the will of the world.

Peggy entered the office that morning determined to pursue Daniel Sousa. She had only laughed that hard with one other person, and she wanted to spend more time with both of them. Fortunately she was now living with Angie, which ticked that one off her list. But next in Peggy's sights was Daniel, he just didn’t know it yet.  
After handing him the coffee, Peggy had briefed Jack on their plans for Dottie. She then watched Daniel as she had moved around the office. He remained fixed at his desk, pouring over his homework. She watched him writing sheet after sheet of notes, watched his pen fly across the paper, the piles of folders surrounding him. She couldn't help but smile as she admired his work ethic. She found this very attractive. Peggy caught herself smiling at Daniel's back and shook her head privately at herself.  
Peggy please, she thought, take a leaf from Daniel's book and get your head down.


	4. "Progress," she says simply.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Same day, later on. Thompson puts his foot in it but that's why we keep him around, right?

Daniel's hard work is paying off and Dottie is cracking. Well, if you could call sitting completely still and staring straight ahead cracking. Jack is becoming impatient.

"This isn't working anymore," he complains.

"No, we're getting to her, can't you see?" Peggy turns away from the mirror to look at her boss.

"She spent all of yesterday deflecting and playing dumb. She's shutting down now because she's realised there's no way out. This is her last defence Jack, he's got her on the ropes." She turns to the mirror to watch Daniel push a photo across the table.

"Which of the beds here was yours?" A long silence from Dottie before Daniel speaks again.

"I'm getting a coffee," he says suddenly, leaving the photo of the Leviathan stronghold on the table.

Daniel grabs his crutch, leaves the interrogation room and enters the observation room. Peggy turns and smiles at him.

"Progress," she says simply. Daniel nods but looks tired.

"Tag me in," says Jack suddenly, raising a hand to Daniel. Daniel cracks a smile, looking Jack up and down.

"You sure, Thompson? I know she's in a straight jacket and all, but she's dangerous. And you're not at your best right now," nodding to the man's arm. Jack raises an eyebrow.

"Ha… Really? Sousa? The man with the crutch is going to lecture me about abilities?"

Daniel freezes in embarrassment, catching Peggy's eye past Thompson. She shakes her head at him and opens her mouth to protest.

"Jack – " she starts but Thompson has a fire in him as he turns to face her.

"Not you as well," he warns, pointing his finger at her. Peggy glares.

"Look, boss. Just don't get near her, don't get physical like you usually do, that's all. After spending six hours with the woman, I can attest to that. She's taking everything in, all the time, looking for a way out of here. She'll take advantage…" Daniel finishes with a helpless shrug as Jack walks past him, seeming not to be listening.

The two agents watch their boss head out to the interrogation room. Peggy looks desperately at Daniel, who sees her concern.

"I'll go in with him," he says reassuringly. Peggy opens her mouth to protest, but seems to change her mind, closes it again and simply nods at Daniel.

"He could undo all your hard work though. If he goes in there guns blazing –" she starts.

"Story of my life Peg," he cuts in, smiling. "You remember how I got this," he lifts his crutch a little off the floor.

Peggy closes her eyes and nods a little, remembering their conversation the night before.

"Well I suppose I could go in too, although it might get overcrowded then… I am wearing my anaesthetic lipstick though, so we're covered in case she tries to kiss me again." Peggy says this to herself with a dismissive wave. Daniel stands there for a moment, images racing through his head when Jack walks into view in the interrogation room.

As Daniel makes to go and join him, Jack pushes the photograph off the table with force. It narrowly misses Dottie's left ear. The assassin smiles a knowing smile. Daniel freezes to watch this in horror, while Peggy moves closer to the mirror, the colour draining from her face.

"So from what I've seen 'Miss Underwood', I'd say you've had it pretty easy so far. Well, your luck's about to change because you've got me." Jack says all this while slowly walking around the table to stand directly behind Dottie.

As he comes to a stop, both Daniel and Peggy are frozen for a moment, transfixed. Then several things happen at once. Daniel realises he needs to stop Jack and makes to move towards the door. Meanwhile Jack puts one hand on the back of Dottie's neck and slams her face, side on, into the table in front of her, and Peggy instinctively slams her hand onto the mirror's glass and shouts,

"JACK, NO."

As all this occurs, Dottie slips from her straightjacket as if it were silk. She had waited long enough for the opportunity to escape and finally it was here. The one with the crutch had never come near her, there had been no chances there. But this one? He was short-tempered and violent. And as soon as he laid a hand on her, she was in control. The perfect opportunity.

"NO!" shouts Peggy again as she watches Dottie's arm rise up and push Jack's away before she turns to face the astonished agent, her hand now at his throat.

As they struggle, Daniel re-enters the room and moves instantly towards the couple. Before Peggy can even hesitate Dottie turns, but Daniel is too quick for her. As she goes to attack the second agent, he tosses his crutch lightly into the air and in one swift movement, catches it half way down its shaft and strikes Dottie over the head with its wider end. Dottie is unconscious immediately, her hand slipping from Thompson's throat as she falls onto her left side.  
The strength of Daniel's efforts however were also too much for the agent's balance. Daniel's injured leg gives way in absence of its crutch and he also falls, landing on top of Dottie Underwood. It is all over in five seconds and Peggy finds herself running now, bursting through the interrogation room's door and nearly breaking Thompson's nose in the process.

"Agent Sousa," she shouts, "are you alright?"

Peggy realises how shaken she sounds and pauses for a moment to regain her control, watching Daniel roll over and off Dottie so he is lying next to her instead. He frowns in slight discomfort.

"Yeah, nothing broken I think –" he glances at Thompson, "– yet."

Peggy spares Jack the briefest of glares, and receives one in return, before stepping over Dottie to handcuff her. As she does this she pretends not to notice Daniel shifting uncomfortably on his injured leg as he tries to stand up.

Daniel can feel his ears burning with embarrassment as he pulls his weight around on the floor next to Dottie, and next to Peggy's feet.  
Damn it. Why did he have to lose his balance? At least he wasn't Thompson right now though, that guy was looking pretty stupid.  
He glances over to where he expects to see the man, but he's disappeared. Probably licking his wounds somewhere, Daniel thought. At this point he realises Peggy has finished handcuffing Dottie and is looking at him. Daniel's cheeks flush and he makes to move again. This is when Peggy offers him her hand and stares defiantly at him. Daniel hesitates.

"Don't worry Agent Sousa, I can take your weight. I'm heavier than I look." She smiles as she says this and Daniel smiles back gratefully.

*****************************

Forty five minutes have passed since Dottie nearly killed Thompson, and Daniel Sousa is sitting in the observation room again, looking into the interview room which is empty. Dottie had been put in a tighter straight-jacket and escorted by Agent Carter to the basement cells immediately after the fight.  
Daniel sits and stares through the glass at the vacated room. He spots the scuff on the floor, from where his right shoe had fought with the floor before he fell. The embarrassment of falling made him blush again. He hated it when his old injury caused him to fall, caused him to lose balance in an important situation or in any situation for that matter. He had lost balance at home numerous times. He was always on his own when this happened and yet still it would make him feel embarrassed, weak.  
He knew he shouldn't feel so cut up about it, and though people might tease him about his injury, no one had ever laughed at him when he had stumbled or tripped. But maybe somehow that made it worse? Teasing was a coping mechanism, for them and for him. But if he fell, it was a black zone for humour, for discussion. The poor cripple, don't stare everyone, you'll only embarrass him – no, he thought to himself, his grip tightening on his crutch.  
No don't ignore it. Discuss it, point at it, laugh if you need to. I want you to, so I can laugh too. Then there'll be nothing left to be scared of.

Except Peggy. Except the way it feels when he spends even a shred of time with her. He sighs heavily as he realises the real reason he is so angry is because Peggy Carter witnessed him fall.

"Agent Sousa?" Daniel nearly leaps out of his skin when Peggy speaks from the open doorway.

"I'm sorry, I startled you."

"No, no it's fine," he replies, turning to face her and smiling his apologetic smile.

"I didn't expect to find you here still, but I'm glad I did," she says, walking towards Daniel. He admires the way she enters the room, her focus entirely on him.

"I was, err… thinking. About the interrogation," he hesitated, feeling stupid again.  
She speaks to mask his hesitation.

"I've already had words with Thompson, he's fine. Just sulking in his office and barking commands to make himself feel better." The two share a smirk and Daniel relaxes.

"You've changed," he says suddenly, noticing Peggy's blue dress with the red trim has transformed into an emerald green number.

"Yes! I had to after our Soviet friend woke up and decided to shower me in spittle," Peggy said with a grim smile and a roll of her eyes. Daniel shook his head.

"Sorry to hear that." They stood quietly for a moment. Then they both started to speak at the same time.

"You go first."

"No, really –."

"Okay. Daniel I think you are an excellent agent, the best actually. But I'm worried that you feel… that you don't…" Daniel held his breath as she spoke, acutely aware of what she was trying to say.

"I cannot physically imagine what it must be like to lack the full use of one of my legs but, I can appreciate feelings of inadequacy. And I can tell you now Daniel from my experience that you are not inadequate. You are a government agent and a bloody good one at that. The best in fact…"

Daniel could feel the blood rushing to his face at this point.

"…You should know I think you are one of the best agents, and one of the best men… I have known." She finished her speech with that defiant-Carter look which Daniel had come to adore. They stare at each other for a moment before Daniel smiles his appreciation.

"Thanks Peggy." He didn't need to say anything else.

"What were you going to say?" she asked. Daniel stayed smiling.

"Oh, I was just going to say that I like that dress – I mean to say as in, you know, that it's, you err… you look lovely in it." He cleared his throat to fill the silence at the end of his statement.

Peggy was no ordinary woman and the last thing she would probably want to hear after her empowering speech to him about his abilities, was that she looked nice. But Daniel wanted to be honest with her, and fortunately Peggy seemed happy. She was smiling back at him and for a moment Daniel felt good. Then she nodded to herself and made to leave the room.

Daniel watches her as she turns from him and begins to walk across the room. As she does so, Daniel can smell the perfume in her hair and he realises with absolute clarity – he doesn't want her to go.

"Peggy," he says abruptly and crutches after her.

He gently takes a hold of her arm and she turns again to face him. As she does so he knows in that second that he cannot hesitate or it won't work.

He pulls her close to him and kisses her without any recess.

He feels her pause for a moment, her body only half turned to him, and for one wild second Daniel imagined she might grab his arm and throw him to the floor in disgust. But then she raises her shoulders, turns to face him fully and before he can even process the thought, she has her arms on his and is pulling their bodies close. They both take deep breaths as they hold their kiss, and feel their bodies against one another. Then to Daniel's absolute pleasure, Peggy's hands make their way across Daniel's shirt sleeves, his shoulders. When they go higher they find themselves at home in the short hair at the nape of his neck. It would be an understatement to say Daniel was the happiest man in the world as this was happening.

As Peggy holds onto him, she gives him more of her weight to hold, and Daniel proves he can take her, moving his non-crutch arm from her shoulder to around her waist, pulling her up and in. At this point only seconds have passed from Daniel walking across the room to now, and yet time has become inconsequential to the agents.  
And then the job comes crashing back into the room as both Peggy and Daniel realise what is about to happen.  
They break apart, looking at each other. They share a look of surprise, at what has just occurred, at how wonderful it was. Then Peggy's eyes widen in horror as Daniel first frowns, then loses his footing, before finally rolling his eyes back and falling forwards into Peggy's arms.

"The lipstick. The bloody… lipstick," she says to herself as she struggles with Daniel's weight.

As carefully as she can, Peggy lowers Daniel to the floor, face down. She winces as his head makes a thud against the parquet. For a moment Peggy stands, trying to process what has just happened. She puts a hand to her mouth, remembering his lips on hers. How soft they had felt, how tender and affectionate. She curses herself for forgetting the lipstick; she feels a rush of warmth as she thinks of Sousa's arm round her waist. She's angry he had not warned her what he was about to do. She laughs at how happy she was kissing him. Peggy rolls her eyes.

"What a mess!" she exclaims to herself as she puts Daniel in a comfortable position.  
Nobody will be coming in anytime soon, she thinks to herself, it is quite late. He should be awake soon anyway.  
Peggy watches him sleep. She sees the little smile on his face and grins in agreement.

*******************

"Peg…" Daniel manages.

"Daniel," Peggy says automatically.

She moves to the floor and bends over Agent Sousa.

"Daniel, how do you feel?"

"What's going on? Is it – no… Did I fall? Oh. I can't…"  
Daniel says all this with a distinct headache.

"Sit up carefully for me, you shouldn't have any injuries. You were out for about seven minutes… It was the lipstick."

Peggy finishes this swift statement with an apologetic tone, although she immediately wonders why. Daniel should have thought before he had acted earlier.  
But where was the fun in that?  
She smiled at this thought, while Daniel pushed himself up.

*******************

Kissing Daniel had been a moment of reawakening for Peggy Carter.  
It was almost like she had forgotten what it felt like to kiss someone romantically, to enjoy their intimacy. She had missed this. For a long time Peggy had resigned herself to a foreseeable future of career and isolation, bred from her feelings for Steve. She had loved him so dearly that she could not see a future like that, without him. If he was gone so were Peggy's chances for love and a family. Peggy had resigned herself to this fate not long after Steve's death and she had thought herself content with the conclusion. She had been so full of grief she had not considered that one day that solitude would give way, that that grief would subside to be replaced with new feelings for another.

Peggy watches Daniel sit up and readjust his injured leg to be more comfortable. She feels this overwhelming desire to protect him suddenly; to hold him as close as she can and fight off all the threats to him. She feels her heart in her chest and knows it is still recovering from the sudden intimacy. She sits there, on the floor, thinking all this when she finds Daniel looking at her.

"Peggy? I'm so sorry. It was stupid of me, I…" Daniel seems lost for words.  
He shakes his head at himself. Peggy shakes her head too.

"Thank you, Daniel."

Daniel raises an eyebrow.

"Thank you?"

Peggy chooses her next words very carefully, wiping the lipstick from her mouth with a tissue as she speaks.

"Yes, for having the courage. Thank you, Daniel."

She stares at him and he stares back searching her face for the joke, the punch line. When he can't find it he tries to say something but cannot choose what. As he stammers Peggy leans towards him abruptly, still staring him in the eye. As their lips meet, she closes her eyes and puts her hand on his cheek, breathing in slowly. Daniel is briefly frozen, Peggy's enthusiasm knocking him back against the cabinet he leans on. When his brain catches up and Daniel Sousa realises Peggy Carter is kissing him full on the mouth (and that she's wiped the lipstick away), the man puts an arm around her waist pulling her across the floor and almost into his lap.

Daniel had had some girlfriends before the war, he thought he had enjoyed his fair share of romance but he had never felt like this before. All the old feelings of excitement, the rush of the kiss, came flooding back to him sure, but this? This was heat and cold at the same time. He felt triumphant, he felt overjoyed, he felt at home. Daniel Sousa felt like a superhero, and he was completely in love.  
I will never love anyone else. This is everything I want, he thought as he wound a hand round Peggy's waist and kissed her again and again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to make it known that I owe a core idea in this chapter to a suggestion for a fic someone made on tumblr earlier this year. They had asked someone to write about Daniel kissing Peggy when she was wearing the anaesthetic lipstick, and it struck me as a great idea. So this is my effort! I'm very sorry I can't remember the person's name or anything, it was some time ago.


	5. If you like the girl, ask her out.

Peggy could not stop herself from kissing Daniel Sousa.  
Now she had discovered this happiness, and how delectable it all was, Peggy Carter was addicted. She had been in love with Steve, she had thought of him all the time when he died. She had locked herself away and dwelt on his face, his voice, their one kiss and how soft it had been… what could have been. But Peggy Carter had never been in love with someone who was, well, still standing in front of her. Still living, still warm, still kissing her neck. Peggy and Daniel were behaving like adolescents but it made her so happy she could not care less. And besides, they were the two best spies in the agency, no one would find out about their relationship unless they wanted them to.

The two agents had found themselves sharing a filing room this morning, and before Peggy could ask Daniel for the box labelled 'FI-FL' he was standing so close to her their noses touched. He was smiling that smile of his and Peggy's instincts were telling her to lean into the shelves behind her, pull him closer and let him breathe in her perfume. She knew how much he liked that scent, he had told her. She knew it drove him mad. She can feel him breathing her in, before his lips find her neck, her ear, her cheek.  
This is mad, she thinks. We could be discovered, then what?

At this point Daniel has broken away and is smiling at her. "Peggy, I've been thinking. When we… If we start to…"

Daniel had apparently thought hard about this speech but was still unsure in the moment how to describe their relationship. Peggy wasn't sure exactly what it was yet either. So far, they had gone out four times for drinks, and three times to eat. They had officially been seeing one another for four weeks. But when you start the relationship with a passionate kiss and work backwards then it can become tricky to define. Plus there were the boys at the office. They didn’t know yet, but what would happen when they decide to make themselves public? They couldn't hide in filing rooms forever. But they couldn't start going steady, staying at each other's apartments, spending their lunchtimes together without it being noticed. Heck, Angie already suspected.

"If we make ourselves public?" Peggy said helpfully.

"Right," said Daniel, "if we, if you, want to… to do that. Then I want you to know, I have an application to join the bureau, ready and waiting." He said this last part very quickly.

Peggy went to speak out, but Daniel raised a hand to stop her. "No, really Peg. It's what I want. I have looked into what the F.B.I can offer me, and I know it's enough. The S.S.R was always really your gig, and I couldn't bear it if anyone gave you a hard time for… being with someone at the office. You deserve better than that."

Daniel rushed this statement, looking at Peggy's waist as he did so. Peggy frowned.

"Daniel, I can't let you do that. You have worked as hard as anyone to be here –" 

Daniel interrupted her. "No but that's just it, I haven't. You think I've worked as hard as you, but I was recruited straight out of the army after my recovery. It was all because of my record, my previous experience. I could join any defence agency with the same ease. But for you it's different. You have a passion for this place that means you have to stay, and I love you so much I would do anything to keep you here. I love you Peggy."

His speech was impassioned, his tone confident. Daniel so often would adopt a tone of apology, of humour, even of sarcasm, but not now. Peggy understood this, and took him very seriously. She was grateful for his confidence. She may exude the stuff herself, but Peggy Carter was sometimes in need of guidance (something the very confident Angie and Howard were there for, even if they didn’t know it themselves).

Daniel spoke with such confidence now that Peggy found herself beaming. Beaming with relief that Daniel had taken charge, that he had in turn given her the confidence to stand in front of him and say, "Daniel, I love you too."

They shared another, longer kiss wherein Peggy felt herself almost lifted off her feet by Daniel's strong embrace, before saying their goodbyes for the day with a squeeze of each other's hand.

*********************

"I'm sorry to lose you Sousa. I hate to see you go."

Coming from Jack, this was all too emotional.

"Geez Thompson, turn down the sentiment would you? You're making me uncomfortable."

Daniel tries to play the resignation down somewhat, hoping the meeting will end sooner. He had always been cautious of Thompson, and since the jerk had shrugged him and Peggy off so he could claim the glory for catching Fenhoff, he thought he had no time for the man.  
But over the last few months, being in charge had taken its toll on Jack and the man had been showing the signs. Much like Dooley used to, Jack had shown gratitude towards the agents under his command, dispensing acknowledgement where it was due. It had taken Dooley a while to catch this habit but Jack had, unbelievably, been quicker to adopt this. In a way it was a shame to be leaving him, they were just starting to get along.

"I promise, I'll write you every week," Daniel says in mock reassurance. Jack grins.

"Why'd you want to go? Is it my good looks? I know, too intimidating right?"

Sousa laughs and shrugs. "No, no. Not that. I just… I need to move on. Things change, people…" At this point he fizzles out, realising he has no idea where to go with this. Jack is perched on the side of his desk, a whisky in his hand, one leg swinging.

"So it wouldn't have nothing to do with Peggy Carter then?" Jack's question catches Daniel off guard, and he looks up at Jack quickly, a rabbit in headlights.

"What'd you say Jack?" At this point Jack smiles, enjoying Sousa's reaction.

"Look, the whole office knows how you feel about her Sousa. If you like the girl, ask her out. I won’t get in the way, in fact I'll give you my blessing."

Daniel can't quite believe what he is hearing. He remains quiet, swaying slightly as he leans on his crutch.

"You never know, I mean she might say yes. If she's bugging you all that much, act on it. I know she's scary and all – well, she's terrifying actually… but don't just run away from the place." Daniel lets Jack finish, before smiling and looking the man up and down.

"Thanks for the advice Jack but, well, trust me when I say you've got a lot of growing up to do." Jack stands up at this point, only mildly offended. He hasn't caught on.

"Only trying to help buddy," he walks round the desk and puts out his hand, "still, good luck Sousa, see you around."  
At this point Jack winks, and Daniel Sousa smiles broadly, taking his hand.

"Yeah, thanks Jack."


	6. Serious Plans

"Hey Carter, you coming?" Jack and three other agents are heading out at the end of a long day in search of a drink.

"No, thank you I have a prior engagement tonight," she quips.

Jack turns and slowly walks back to Peggy's desk, grinning.

"Really?" he asks. The man leans his hands on the table and looks her up and down, the smile widening his face.

"Yes," she replies simply. "Is that so difficult to process? I do have a life outside this office."  
Damn, she thought. Her prickly defences had given too much away.

"Where?" asked Thompson.

Peggy was fed up with disguising her feelings, her actions and her choices. Daniel had been with the F.B.I now for four weeks. They had been meeting after their respective works, but still in secret – why?

"The Duke's Bar," she replied, smiling. She knew what would happen next. Thompson was so predictable.

"Well alright then, see you there Carter." He winks at her, and turns to join the other agents waiting. "Duke's Bar ladies, step to it."

Peggy sighs deeply. "Sorry Daniel," she says so only she can hear.

 

*******************

 

As she reaches the bar she can see it's busy, but that's to be expected at Duke's. She takes one last look at herself in a shop window before heading in. She's wearing a dark blue evening dress, to the knee. It's a v-neck but not too plunging. Were the shoulders a bit too risky?

"Too late now," she says aloud, brushing her hair behind her shoulders.

"Peggy!" Daniel's voice carries across the road, a welcome distraction from her small self doubt.

She turns and watches him cross over the busy street. She feels that overwhelming desire again to protect him from harm, to fight off the world around him.

"Daniel," she beams, "how was work?" They share a kiss, then another. Then another. 

"You're a sight for sore eyes Peg. God I've missed you. Is that dumb?" he asks, smiling that smile of his. Peggy finds herself laughing in her happiness.

"No, never. Come with me, I'll buy you a drink."

She takes his arm and they head inside. Peggy takes a deep breath and scans the bar as they push their way in.

"Carter."

Jack is at the bar. The only space to order a drink is right next to him. Ah well, she thinks. This is what you had planned. Just get on with it.

"Agent Thompson," Peggy responds with as much mild surprise as she can muster. She feels Daniel's arm tighten.

"What do you think of the place?" She gestures around the bar. Jack ignores the question.

"Sousa," he nods towards the man.

"Hi Jack," comes the stiff response.

Daniel's expression is mixed. He wants Jack to say something rude, to say something to insult Peggy. That way would be easier, that way Daniel could knock Jack to the floor and leave it at that. But he could tell that wasn't going to happen. Instead Jack grins.

"Enjoy your evening," he says after a brief awkward silence, nodding at them both before heading to the booth the other agents are already enjoying. Daniel and Peggy both start breathing again.

"That was… unexpected. Did you know they would be here?" He notices the guilt flash across Peggy's face and frowns, "Margaret Carter?"

"I'm sorry Daniel," she says and looks at his chest, "I just wanted to make it clear. I wanted to stop hiding." Then she looks him in the eye. "I am proud of you Daniel and I want to spend my time with you. All of my time."

Daniel's face relaxes and he smiles warmly at her, "I can live with that."

Peggy beams back, before leaning towards Daniel, closing her eyes and kissing him. She doesn’t care who sees, whether it be Thompson and his cronies, or a whole bar full of strangers. Peggy Carter was in love and she never did anything by halves.

Thompson watches the couple leave the bar, arm in arm, exactly one hour and fourteen minutes since their awkward encounter. He has glanced in their direction all evening, and takes note of how they look at each other, of how they act towards each other, of how they talk and kiss. Jack knew without a shadow of a doubt that Carter and Sousa were serious and this gave him relief.  
He cared about Carter. She was obviously his best agent, and he liked to think of her as a colleague and a friend. But he didn't hold a torch for her, not anymore. He had realised some time ago that they were on very different pages of two very different books, and he'd never been sweet on her the way Sousa was.  
She was beautiful of course, and impressive. He had admired her, the way all the men in the office had done. But Sousa had always been different. The way he'd looked at her, the way he'd stand up for her. Jack had always noted that Sousa was never patronising when he did that, always genuine. Must've been the way he was brought up. Every time Jack had approached her he could feel the old behaviours rearing up in himself again: the jokes, the tone, the choice of words – "that'll do sweetheart".

Well, whatever it was Sousa had done, it had worked. It had got him the girl and Jack knew that this was fair play to the man. After all, he had been his second best agent and even he if he couldn't admit it to himself, he cared about Sousa too and wanted him to be settled. Jack knew a lot of men had returned from the war with more than an injury or two, much more than people thought. But much like Jack's, they weren't always as obvious as Sousa's had been. Some injuries could be hidden. Illusions could be projected to protect everyone. But Daniel Sousa had to wear his wounds like a badge and Jack thought about this every time he saw the man.  
"Good on you, Sousa," he said to himself as he watched the couple leave the bar.

****************

Daniel could not believe he was bringing Peggy Carter back to his apartment. She had led him to the taxi from Duke's. She had given the driver HIS address. She had held his hand and rested her head on his shoulder all the way there. He should have known from the moment she revealed their relationship, that Peggy Carter had some serious plans tonight.

***************

After a strong drink in Daniel's kitchen the couple had found themselves quite unsteady on their feet. Peggy had suggested they lie down for ten minutes to recover and Daniel had obliged.

Daniel held Peggy close to him, both his arms keeping her warm, (his crutch rested against the bed stand). Peggy could smell his cologne, but also, for the first time since their kiss on the observation room floor, she could smell Daniel's real scent too, and she found it deeply attractive.  
Daniel must have sensed this, or smelled her too, because that was when his hands found the back of her dress and began to unzip. At first his actions were confident, but then the zip caught somehow and Daniel began to hesitate. The feelings of inadequacy tumbled back into the room like clumsy boxes from a closet.  
How have I ended up here, he thinks to himself, with this incredible woman? I'm going to ruin everything.

Peggy notices Daniel panicking and sits up slowly to look at him. He stares back and gulps. Silently, Peggy gets up from the bed and unzips the dress herself, to let Daniel take in her slip, her stockings and her true height after the heels were gone. She feels exposed but nonetheless in control.  
Daniel stands up to join her, carefully raising himself from the bed without his crutch.  
If there was ever a moment where the crutch would not be permitted to interfere, it was now.  
She unbuttons his shirt and lifts his vest out from under his belted trousers. Then they both fumble with the belt and share a nervous laugh.

Peggy was a consistently confident woman but here she was apprehensive and she knew she needed Daniel to silently know this. She could not bear the thought of hiding any part of herself from him now but she also could not speak. Her breathing had become quite shallow as she lifted his vest over his head, and fortunately Daniel had noticed. Without a word he put his hands on her arms to halt her movements and looked her square in the eye. She considered him in return.  
They stood like this for a minute without speaking until Peggy's breathing had relaxed. Then a warm smile spread across Daniel's face. It lit up his features and made Peggy feel safe again. She resumed her work on his belt, never taking her eyes off his. As Daniel stepped out of his crumpled trousers the anxiety in Peggy finally evaporated and she found herself grinning madly. This grin quickly dissolved into a laugh as Daniel made the adventurous gesture of picking her up in his arms and throwing them both onto his bed.  
Peggy was impressed. It was the last thing she had expected of a man who uses a crutch to walk, but then Daniel was clearly not a man defined by these petty details.


	7. 'Retired'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set during Captain America: Winter Soldier, with Steve Rogers, about sixty-five years after the previous chapter.  
> This chapter was orignally the first but I thought it had a finality in it that helps put someone's life into perspective. It felt better at the end. Thank you for reading, I'm so grateful.

Steve held the file in his hands. Her picture stared back at him, a black stamp covering the lower half: 'RETIRED.' She looked a little older than when he had last seen her, sitting in Red Skull's car… maybe in her late thirties here?  
He hesitated before opening it, to read about Peggy's long career. It had more personal details than he had anticipated and Steve felt a little guilty reading these. He wanted to ask for permission first, but at the same time he couldn't look away.

Currently resides in Washington. Previously resided in New York, until 1988? Wow, impressive… Spouse – 

Steve breathed in sharply. He had half expected this, more than half actually. Peggy was a beautiful, incredible woman so of course she had found herself someone and a family. But he couldn't help it, it hurt. What had been a lifetime for her had only been moments for him, a blink of an eye. He was still in love with her, of course. But at the same time, he had known in his heart for just over a year now that she was gone. He had let her go and since the battle of New York this was the first time he had really dwelt on her. But it had been enough of a reason to pull the file.

So? He thought to himself, get reading.

Spouse… He noticed this Daniel Sousa had a file reference of his own so he requested it. Why? To better understand the man of course, to make sure he was a good guy. Perhaps if he became familiar with Sousa maybe he could know Peggy a little better, (plus he wanted to see the guy's picture but he hadn't admitted that to himself).

The mature lady at the records office desk handed him the file.

"It's only got so much in it this one. It was shelved in 1954, the FBI will have the rest." Steve looked puzzled so she explained.

"This agent never worked for Shield. He worked here when it was still the S.S.R, then he transferred to the bureau in 1948." Steve glanced down at the thin file.

"1948? So why does this go to 1954?"

The woman shrugged, "just policy. When you leave they continue to gather intel on you. Although, it's usually only for three years. They followed this guy for six…?"  
Her turn to look puzzled.

"I know why," nodded Steve, glancing at the marriage dates, "he was married to the boss. Standard procedures probably didn't apply."

The woman smiled and left Steve with the man's file.  
Married: 1948 – same year he left the S.S.R. But she stayed on, until 1949 when it evolved into Shield and Stark made her the boss. Captain Rogers pondered this. Performance rankings were excellent, great track record, he had been a perfect agent (minus the injury), so why go?

For her, he realises. He left for her, so she could stay on. They were together and he wanted to ensure Peggy's career was safe. A woman marrying her co-worker, it would have come to define her but he had made sure it wouldn't. Steve felt a happiness for Peggy at first, swiftly followed by the pang of jealousy. From this simple slice of evidence he had learned that Daniel Sousa had been one of the good guys.

The man's picture was paper clipped to the top of the file. At first Steve only glanced at it, the envy taking precedence. But after reading his war record and the circumstances surrounding his injury, Daniel Sousa suddenly became more three dimensional, certainly to man like Steve. He took a longer look at the photo and Daniel stared back.

It was a portrait shot, from when he enlisted probably. He was wearing his khaki fatigues (lost to the black, grey and sepia tones) and he had the standard cap on. It was one of those classic headshots the parents would keep on the mantel… He pictured Peggy having this photo by her bed. Then he remembered she only knew him after it all, and will have her own photos of him, of them together from a time after war, when families were growing again and Peggy had let herself be a part of one.

Steve read through Daniel's entire file, which didn't take long.

Married Peggy in 1948; resided at the same New York address. By 1954 they had two children. Great work record at the FBI. By 1954 he had become a leading man at the New York office and had twelve men working under him. The file ended here and Steve returned to Peggy's.

Three children by 1957, and the family had moved twice by then. Finally settled on the Upper East Side, until 1988 when they moved to Washington.  
No wait – when Peggy moved to Washington.

Widowed in 1987. Steve let out a long sigh.

A whole life in the blink of an eye, in the five minutes it took to read these files. He couldn't find a cause of death listed, there had been no need to record it. Daniel had never actually worked for Shield, he spent the rest of his career with the FBI, they would have all those details. But he didn't need to know how Daniel Sousa had died. It shouldn't be important. All that mattered was his life, his and Peggy's long lives and how they had filled them. And for those details he would need more than this folder. He would need to pay Peggy a visit.


End file.
